Life before fast food

I am old enough to remember what life was like before all of today’s fastfood restaurants and ready-made meals were in existence. I did not taste pizza until I was out of high school, and tacos, sub sandwiches, and General Tao were unknown to me until much later in my life.

Today, one can rarely drive through any town without seeing at least one fast-food eatery. Even in small communities, there are often more than one. It’s 2021, and food tastes have changed, and many families do not sit down together to a home-cooked dinner after busy days at work and school.

Igrewupwhenmostfamilies ate at home. Spending money at a restaurant was a rarity. Our meals were of the meat and potato variety, yet I recall eating buttered noodles when money was scarce. Pizza wasn’t on the menu at our house, and my first experience eating a meal in a restaurant came well after high school. I did, however, enjoy fries and a Coke at Medo Farms Restaurant after high school events. I also remember having root beers and burgers at local A& W stands.

Fast food items have also taken over much of the space in today’s grocery stores, with aisles of freezers containing frozen microwave dinners. Another long section of freezers contains nothing but frozen pizzas, and huge delis have a wide variety of complete meals that need only to be warmed up. We can even order pre-made meals online and have them delivered right to our door. According to a recent study of 2020 eating habits, most Americans eat fast food one to three times a week. On any given day, one-third of Americans eat fast food. Eight-three percent of American families eat fast food at least once a week, while the average American household spends 10 percent of their annual income on fast food. The number of fast-food restaurants in the United States continues to increase each year, with 204,529 locations in 2020.

I must confess that during most summers, I consume more than my fair share of fast-food. Most car shows, parades, and community events that I attend as The Mayberry Guru find me consuming burgers, brats, fries, cheese curds, and numerous other tasty delights. So who am I to say if fast food is good or bad?

I will let my readers decide for themselves.

Ken Anderson, the “Mayberry Guru,” can be reached at themayberryguru@gmail.com and www.themayberryguru. com

BE OUR

G UEST

KEN ANDERSON “THE MAYBERRY GURU”